Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo . REPORT of MISSION .

Sat, Mar, 19, 16
Posted by : Georges VITTON

REPORT of MISSION on the Nyiragongo volcano , 10 TO 11 March 2016

I.INTRODUCTION
A team from the Volcanological Observatory of Goma (OVG) has conducted a mission to Nyiragongo volcano dated 10 to 11 March 2016. This mission was a follow-up of the activity of the volcano observed for nearly two weeks .

II.COMPOSITION TEAM
-KWETU Sambo Gloire : Researcher at the OVG
-MUKAMBILWA Kibuye Pierre : Researcher at OVGIII. Duration of the mission
This mission lasted about two days , from the 10 to 11 March 2016.

IV.Objectives of the mission.
– Appreciate the magmatic activity of the Nyiragongo volcano particularly the flow level of the lava from the new secondary wells to the main well and its effusion on the 3rd platform.
– Assess the level of the lava lake from the main well and from the secondary wells and their current level of activity.
– Perform measurements of temperature and extensometer on the southern flank of the Nyiragongo volcano.
– Perform topographic measurements of the crater of Nyiragongo volcano.

V. RUNNING OF THE MISSION.

Starting at 7am from the Observatory, the team arrived at the summit of Nyiragongo volcano around 16h and commenced direct observations of the crater.
From these it emerges that:
– The flow from the new secondary well continues on the third platform in two directions north and south.
. She continues to accumulate on this one and has already passed over almost its entire surface. Since the morning of March 11, 2016 that flow has begun to flow into the main well, but it is still at a slow speed.

– The activity of the secondary well remains intense with fountains and intermittent explosions. These fountains can reach ten meters.
– The level of the lava lake from the main well remains low but its activity remains intense and concentrated primarily sometimes to the North sometimes to the East.
– The deformation measurements taken on March 11, 2016, show no significant deformation of the Nyiragongo crater.

– Temperature measurements in fractures:

Temperature measurements were made at the level of summit of Nyiragongo, at the level of the hut and at the level of Shaheru.
Temperature readings in the cracks of the summit (South side) at Shaheru and Cabane show a slight decrease in temperature; which means that the activity is still concentrated in the crater and fractures are not yet supplied.
Overall, the average daily temperature does not accuse considerable differences for the three months considered.
however we note that the month of February 2016 and March 2016 accusing some small fluctuationsCONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From our observations of the crater of Nyiragongo volcano, he returns us to draw the following conclusions:
Regarding the secondary well in the crater of Nyiragongo volcano, it continues to show a very intense activity. This is evidenced by:
– Important lava fountains that continue to flow to the well.
– Lava flows that continue to spill on the third platform and the two branches formed could meet shortly.
– An early release of this flow in the main well was observed.

Regarding the main well of the Nyiragongo volcano, though the lava is concentrated a little lower, it also continues to show a very intense activity with lava fountains observable to the north and east.

Note: Since these two wells continue to be supplied, we believe that the likelihood of clogging near the lava lake in the main well is not feasible currently. In addition, temperature readings in cracks at Kibumba (east side), the summit (South side) and Shaheru indicate a slight decrease in temperature, which means that the activity is still concentrated in the crater and fractures are not yet supplied.

EDM measurements performed around the Nyiragongo crater showed no deformation of the crater between 2 March 2016 and March 11 2016.
Measures extensometric showed a slight expansion of the fracture of the order of 1.1 mm at the Shaheru.
The population of Goma and the surrounding agglomerations thus should not worry because the activity of primary and secondary well is still concentrated in the central crater.

From the above, we make the following recommendations:
– Monitoring daily this activity by scientists from the OVG .
– Permanence of Researchers both at OVG than at the top of the volcano to better observations of these activities.
– Strengthening measures for all parameters (seismic, Geodesic, geochemical, …) on the South and East sides of the Nyiragongo.